Disclaimer: Love ya, J.K.R. Not stealing, just borrowing.
Introduction and Explanation
Well, I was sitting around my house after finishing Book 5 last week and I had the urge to write. The way the Marauders were portrayed in their younger days really stuck with me. They seemed so close that I wondered if anything could break them apart. THEN I decided to try my hand at writing a (hopefully) funny fic (with a splash of romance, perhaps) about their trials through a particularly difficult trial.
This is set in the groups sixth year. Lily and James are not yet together. James gets in into his head that his three best friends need to have some girls of their own to follow around and swoon over since he has Lily. So he tries to do his friends a favor and one or two things go wrong... The end result is that James himself is turned into a girl and will be stuck in such a way for a full month. Let's see the Marauders face that one. :)
I hope it's a good story. Try it out. ^__^
Chapter one
Her red hair caught the sunlight perfectly, bouncing over her delicate shoulder as she turned around. A pair of striking jade green eyes peered out of a young, fair skinned face, her lips seperated in a surprised 'o'. Even the simple act of turning around seemed graceful when she executed the act. The way her cloak swirled around her slim figure from the momentum. The way the sunlight gave her whole being a divine glow. The way those exotic green eyes recognized him. The way she pulled back her hand. The way she---
SLAP.
James' head snapped sharply to the left with the force of the blow. His senses returned with the rude awakening. He looked back at the girl, surprised.
"Who do you think you are?" she exclaimed.
"You've got a strong arm, there, Evans..." James said in response, face still tingling a bit from the blow.
She thrust a pair of opened envelopes in his direction, furiously. James caught them and read the front. He wasn't too surprised to find his own handwriting there.
"I don't want your love letters, Potter! How much clearer can I make it for you? Get any ideas you have of me being one of your little fans out of your head! Where do you come off hexing boys who ask me out?!" Lily shouted.
"I didn't hex Sutter, Evans. That's his real face," he said smoothly.
The girl snorted at the remark. "You think you're so cool, don't you? Calling people names and judging them? Assuming every girl in this school is secretly in love with you? Grow up, Potter."
James watched her swiftly turn away from him and walk towards Professor Flitwick's classroom. His hand went up to the spot he'd been slapped as he let out a small sigh.
"Tough break, mate," came a voice.
He looked to his left where another boy had appeared. He was slightly taller than James, with dark hair falling reckless across his forehead and a set of catching blue eyes.
"She'll come around, Sirius," James said, in a confident tone.
"She will! She will!" another boy agreed enthusiastically. "I'm sure of it, Prongs! It's only a matter of time before--"
"We get the point, Wormtail," Sirius muttered.
The smaller boy fell instantly silent, grinning sheepishly at Black. James glanced at Peter a moment, curiously. He couldn't help but wonder if the boy actually meant half the things he said.
"She's not the only girl in the school, you realize, James?" a third voice pointed out.
"I have eyes, Moony. I'm aware," James replied, looking to Lupin. "If you're suggesting trying for someone else, you know how I feel about that arguement."
"Suit yourself," Lupin shrugged, not looking at James, but into a rather hefty textbook.
James recognized the book, even though there was a brown bag slip hiding the text's real cover. He and Lupin had snuck into the Forbidden section of the library with the help of the Invisibility Cloak to get it just two days ago. By the looks of it, Lupin was nearly through with the book. They'd be back in the library after hours before the week ended for another.
His attention shifted to Sirius as a group of girls walked by them, all smiling at the blue-eyed Animagus. Sirius sent a small grin their way, not seeming particularly interested in any one of them. Peter openly gawked at the group, while Lupin glanced up only briefly before returning to his book. When the crowd passed, Sirius felt James's stare. He raised a dark brow at his friend.
"Did I just sprout a second head?" he asked.
"You always have something to say about me and Evans. What about you? I have a girl in mind, but that crowd of Ravenclaw's just passed by without getting as much as a half grin," James accused.
Sirius shrugged. "They're all the same."
"They're all beautiful," Wormtail was sure to point out, still watching them.
"Moony didn't even blink when they passed. You don't seem to find that strange," Black brought up.
"No, that's even more disturbing," James assured, turning to Lupin.
The brown-haired wizard closed his book, meeting James's and Sirius's stares. "I'd like to see how long any of those girls stick around when they see a full moon."
James felt a brief pang of guilt for bringing it up. Even though he had friends to make his life easier, Lupin was a little sensitive about his situation. He shook off the feeling and ran a hand through his already wildly tousled hair.
"We have to find you two girls," he sighed.
Sirius turned to James. "Why did this all suddenly dawn on you, Prongs?"
James shrugged, not really sure why himself.
"Class is going to start soon," Wormtail said, voice a bit nervous. "We're going to be late..."
"Ah, calm down. We'll make it," Sirius said, confidantly. "We always make it."
Wormtail wrung his hands, though he seemed slightly less concerned now that he had Sirius's assurance. Black never did fret over things like tardiness or grades or girls. James felt the slightest gleam of envy shine inside him. He never had to worry because he always got what he aimed for. Though James was about the same. Well, if you didn't count Evans under the category of girls.
There were hardly any students left in the hall. James realized Sirius was purposely cutting it close, taking Wormtail's worry as a challenge.
"Well, let's get going," James said, heading toward the class.
Sirius glanced at James as he passed him, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. Of course Black knew James had realized his intentions. They could read each other from six years of unshakable friendship in and out of school. They were conjoined twins separated at birth.
Lupin walked along with James, eyes flicking across the pages of the text at speeds even James and Sirius couldn't absorb information. Peter let out a small, relieved sigh and followed, scuttling along quickly. James heard Sirius's footsteps falling behind the two walking beside him. Black was still strolling along, deliberately as slow as he could. James shook his head, sighing at his stubbornness. One day that resilient defiant quality within Sirius would cost him dearly.
Lupin, Sirius, James and Peter had most of their classes together during the day. The only times they weren't all together were on days the classes taught exclusively for those who had achieved Excellents on their O.W.L.s, were scheduled. Peter, who had only pulled Acceptables in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions and Transfiguration, had separate classes those days. Lupin also had an advanced Arithmancy course, which his three friends had all opted to pass.
Unfortunatly, Advanced Arithmancy was his last scheduled class for the day, which meant he'd have to either find his friends himself or wait for them to come to that class. Knowing James, he'd probably run off after Lily Evans and Sirius wouldn't dare leave James side. Never James. Why should he care if Moony was wandering aimlessly searching for them?
Lupin frowned at that thought, scolding himself for the jealous notion. He'd gone through this over and over again with himself. Sirius and James were his closest friends. He couldn't help it if the bond between them was tighter than the one they shared with him. It wasn't anything to dwell on. It was just one of those things he had taught himself to accept. Kind of how he'd accepted the way people sometimes treated him...
"Five minutes left in class. Wrap up your tests," Professor Rigel announced in his stern voice.
All other thoughts were shunted aside and Lupin's whole mind was concentrated on the paper before him. He quickly double checked his entire quiz and realized he'd accidentally skipped a section. Nearly five minutes later he had one question left. Only one! Surely he could finish before Rigel collected the scrolls... The bell sounded for the period.
"Time's up. I'll just get those," he said, cheerfully, in response to the groans emited from the students still hunched over thier parchments.
'One more, just one more line to write...' Lupin thought. Surely he could finish before--- The parchment gave a sharp tug as Rigel performed the Accio spell to collect the tests. Lupin hadn't realized how hard he'd been gripping the sheet, because when the parchment was tugged forward so was he. He gave a cry as he flipped clean over his desk, crashing into the vacant seat in front of his. A few seconds later he was staring at the ceiling, lying on his back in a pile of shattered wood that was once Emily Stuart's desk, listening to the laughter from his peers.
"Geez, Lupin, I thought Mudbloods had a little more grace than that," snickered a Slytherin boy.
He had the sudden urge to burrow under the wood as a new wave of laughter sounded. 'That's right, Professor Rigel. Just sit behind your desk and smirk.' To his surprise a face suddenly appeared over him with a set of green eyes staring down at him, concerned.
"Are you alright, Remus?" Lily asked.
"Y-yes..." he said, confused.
By now most of the students had left the room, except for a group of still laughing Slytherin boys. Lily scowled in their direction a moment, then turned back to Lupin. She bent down and grabbed his arm, helping him to his feet.
"Thank you, Lily," he said, brushing a few excess splinters from his robes.
A small smile appeared on her face. "I think that's the first time you've ever said more than one word to me."
"Oh, well, James usually---"
"Yes, Potter usually does have a mouthful for me, doesn't he?" she mused. "I don't understand why such a nice person like you associates with James Potter and Sirius Black."
"They're two of the best people I've ever known," he defended, picking up his textbooks. "Maybe if you talked to them like you're talking to me you'd find that out."
Something else dawned on Lupin while he stood there. "Why aren't you with them in Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
"Oh, I almost forgot... I'm sorry!" she exclaimed. "Class was cut short today. Professor Aquila sent me here to get you. Peter had a slight accident with his Slytherin dueling partner."
"What? Where is he?" Lupin asked, alarmed.
"Ah... last I saw they were trying to get him detached from the classroom wall..." she said.
"Detached?" Lupin repeated.
"Come on. You'll see."
Lily and Lupin hurried out of the class towards Professor Aquila's room. Peter was a natural disaster when it came to dueling. He was too skittish and dependant on people to be much help to himself when he was on his own. Despite several attempts by his friends, it seemed like Peter would have to avoid as many fights as he could where dueling was needed.
"What exactly happened?" Lupin asked.
"Reno Pugus was Peter's partner. He likes to pick on the smaller ones, so it was no accident. Pugus used Suspenda Sedimenta and Peter was standing so close to the wall that when he turned to stone he somehow just... connected," she told him.
Lily glanced over in time to catch a look of anger cross Lupin's usually calm features.
"You'll have to wait until Pugus is released from the hospital wing to take your shot at him. Black didn't give him a second to even put up a sheild," she said. "He can be so violent sometimes."
"We can all be violent sometimes," Lupin muttered.
He wasn't quite sure why he had said it, but something about his tone must have scared Lily. She didn't say a word until they reached the Defense Against the Dark Arts cass. It seemed they had managed to free Wormtail from being a permanent wall fixture and had lugged him to Madame Pomfrey.
"Why did you assume you had the authority to leave in the middle of a lesson to fetch Pettigrew's friend, Miss Evans?" Professor Aquila asked, icily.
Lily paled. "Oh, I... I'm sorry, Professor, but--"
"Detention, Evans. Tomorrow night with Flitwick, just like Potter and Black," Aquila said, waving his hand at the two students as he left the classroom.
Lily stiffened, realizing she'd be spending her Saturday night with her two least favorite people. Before Lupin could speak to her, Aquila popped back into the classroom.
"That goes for you as well, Mr. Lupin, for leaving your assigned class to come here," he added.
Lupin turned to face the professor. Aquila held up a hand, agitated look in his eyes.
"Please, don't even try me. Tomorrow with Flitwick. Failure to attend will result in a week of detentions with Filch. Now go see Pettigrew," Aquila said. "Out of my class."
"Professor, I didn't leave---"
"Out, Lupin. Unless..." Aquila sneered at his student a moment. "Unless a detention tomorrow night could interfere with your lunar schedule?"
Lupin realized how lucky Aquila was that Prongs and Padfoot weren't present at the moment. While he didn't enjoy puns about his werewolf situation, he was a little more level headed than his two friends.
"No, that won't interfere," he mummbled.
Lupin sighed and left the class with Lily. They walked down the hall in silence. How could Aquila give him detention? Was it his fault Lily thought to get him? Lupin glanced at the red head beside him. Why had she thought to come for him...?
"So, Professor Aquila didn't actually send you to get me," he said.
"No. I just thought you should know. The rest of the clique was there," she sighed. "And it looks like we'll all be stuck together on a perfectly good Saturday night."
Lupin didn't respond. He appreciated Lily coming to get him and kept telling himself that it wasn't really her fault he had scored a Saturday night detention. Still there was that glimmer of resentment, nagging at the back of his mind.
"What exactly is your lunar schedule?" Lily asked.
"Wh-what? What do you mean my lunar schedule..?" he asked, startled.
An icy dread filled his chest at the question. Where had she heard that?
"Professor Aquila asked if the detention would interfere with your lunar schedule," she said.
"Oh..." he said, relieved. He had forgotten about Aquila's commentary.
"Did that git actually say that to you, Moony?!"
Lupin and Lily spotted Sirius standing in the hall outside the infirmary, leaning against the wall. There was a slightly bloodied cloth wrapped across the knuckles of his right hand and a small burn on his neck where it seemed a nasty hex barely missed its target.
"What happened to you? Where are James and Peter?" Lupin asked.
"Pomfrey won't let me inside until she's done with all the Slytherins," he scowled. "I suppose she doesn't care seventy-five percent of the skin on my hand is gone. Now what about Aquila's little remark?"
"How many Slytherins are there exactly?" he asked, ignoring his inquery for the moment.
"How many were in the class?" he replied.
"Oh, please," Lily sighed. "You knocked out five before James stopped you, if you don't include Severus who, might I add, was an out of the way target."
"I heard him egging Alan Lexon on. Where did you run off to?" he asked her.
"Lily came to tell me what had happened," Lupin said, glancing at the girl, then looking at Sirius sternly, added, "And it cost her."
Sirius raised a brow at Lily. She shook her head and went into the infirmary. He turned to Lupin.
"Don't you think that's a little odd for her?" he asked, flexing the fingers on his bloody hand. "Ouch!"
"Stop that. It's going to bleed more," Lupin scorned. "And I was surprised that she thought to find me. Even more surprised she knew where I was..."
Sirius brow furrowed a bit. "Did you two talk?"
"A little," Lupin said, remembering the broken desk in Professor Rigel's room and deciding not to speak of the incident.
"What did she say?" he asked.
"Well---"
"Potter wants to see you, Remus," Lily said, stepping out of the infirmary. "If he asks, don't lie and say I talked about him to you on the way here. I have to deal with him tomorrow night."
"Aquila gave you detention?" Sirius asked, scowling. "Slimy old git."
"Potter wasn't as troubled by the news," Lily muttered. "I supposed I'll see you both tomorrow."
She started down the hall, glumly. Sirius watched her, something clicking in his head.
"Hey, Evans!" he called.
Lily stopped in the hall and turned to look back at him. By the look on her face she expected him to shout some comment about her and James.
"Sirius, don't---" Lupin said.
"I don't really understand how or why you found Moony," he said, "but thanks."
Lupin stopped in mid-sentence. Lily blinked in surprise.
"You're welcome," she called back.
"Care to tell me how you knew where he was?"
Lily opened her mouth, then closed it, flushing. She quickly spun on her heel and zipped down the corrider. Sirius chuckled to himself. Lupin wasn't entirely comfortable with the sudden mischevious glint in his friend's eyes.
"What is it?" Lupin asked.
"She's been watching us when we walk by her the past two weeks. I thought she was finally warming up to James but..." he looked at Lupin. "she's actually warming up to you."
"That's ridiculous," he said, frowning. "I've never even tried to talk to her before."
"Mr. Black! You can come in now!" Madame Pomfrey called.
Sirius looked to Lupin. "It's not that impossible if you think about it. Just... don't tell James. I'll do my best not to, but... I won't be able to hide it forever. Not from James, Moony."
Lupin felt suddenly uneasy about facing his friend. He nodded to Sirius and they both entered the infirmary.
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